Pain
by TehNicksterBoi
Summary: It's quite amazing how fast your life can change with a few days' time, and several mistaken words.
1. Pain

"AAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!" Percy cried out to the woods. They responded by echoing the cries of his pain, through the vastness of the trees. Percy sank heavily to his knees, the leaves making crunching noises under his weight. Pain was the name of the game. Pain was all that was left. One fuck-up was all it took. Just one, and everything could come crashing down.

* * *

The weekend was fantastic. Percy took Annabeth to a play his high school was putting on, and they both had a wonderful time. They weren't even ten minutes into the play before Percy had his arm around Annabeth, and her head leaning against his shoulder. Eventually, Annabeth saw Hazel and invited her to sit with them. Percy was slightly miffed; he thought it would be just the two of them, but he didn't say anything. The night was still extremely pleasant, and both of them kissed goodnight with happy thoughts in their minds.

This was Friday.

* * *

The next day rolled around. Percy went and saw a new movie that had looked promising in the previews. It had Sandra Bullock, and was about space, so it seemed like a real winner. It definitely was. Percy had to struggle for breath occasionally, and was always on the edge of his seat. He walked out if the cinema feeling quite satisfied. He was also looking forward to the next day, when he, Jason, and Leo went to play paintball. The two had never gone before, and Percy was looking forward to their reaction to being shot with a paintball for the first time. He went to bed quite satisfied.

Annabeth lounged around the house, not doing much. She played with her phone a little, hung out with her brother Malcom, and avoided her parents. Typical teenager stuff.

This was Saturday.

* * *

Jason pulled into Percy's house, with Leo already in the shotgun seat. Percy hopped in, decked in full camouflage hunting gear and combat boots. The two looked at him.

"What, did I forget to tell you that this paintball field is in the woods?" He asked. "I hope I at least told you to wear a cup. Believe me, you will want to die if you get shot in your left nut." Percy joked. Jason and Leo laughed too, and they were off. They finally arrived, only to see the place closed due to inclimate weather.

"It's not even raining!" Leo cried. Right on cue, the gray sky above them began to dump gallons of rain on them. Percy and Jason glared at him, but they had smiles on their faces.

"Well, let's head back…" Percy muttered with a sigh.

Annabeth awoke to the sound of her phone buzzing. She rolled over and squinted as the bright light pierced her waking eyes. It was from Percy.

_Paintball is rained out. Want to hang out today? We could finally start watching The Dark Knight trilogy…!_

Annabeth smirked to herself, and responded.

_Sure, sounds great! Let me get up and clean up, then I'll be right over._

She leapt up, took a quick shower, and off she went to her loving boyfriend's house. She pulled in the driveway, and he opened the front door to come out and greet her.

"Hey babe!" He said with a smile. She smiled back and gave him a huge hug. They walked inside the house, where Percy had already set up Batman Begins. The two sat down and intertwined themselves, getting comfy for an epic two and a half hours.

After the movie was done, they went upstairs to Percy's room. They still had a couple of hours. Percy laid down with Annabeth next to him. He kissed her forehead.

"So… anything specific you want to do?" Percy asked. Annabeth smiled, then moved on top of him, straddling his hips.

"Heh… not really." She said with a wink.

Not much talking was done after that.

This was Sunday.

* * *

_I have to go for a few. Please stay safe. Be careful. I love you._

Read the message that changed everything. It was from Reyna, a girl he had met in a chat room. She had been going through awful things. She had sent Percy a message, thanking him for saving her life. They talked a little more, and eventually they traded phone numbers. He kept feeding her encouragement, and she helped him with his depression. Percy never really talked about his depression with Annabeth, she always freaked out a little. Then one day, he read that message. He didn't quite know what to put. His feelings for her were kind of jumbled. He thought he liked her a little bit, but he would probably never see her (even though they apparently lived in the same area) and he was blindingly in love with Annabeth. He thought before responding.

It only takes one fuck-up.

_I'll be careful. I think I love you too…_

With that, his fate was sealed. He just didn't know it yet. He sent another message.

_I'm glad I finally said how I feel about you._ He sent.

_What, like you want to date me?_ She sent back.

_No, I have a girlfriend. But sometimes, she seems like she doesn't like me and hurts herself no matter how much I beg her not to. But I do love her. My feelings for you… basically, I want to be there to hold you, and tell you things will be okay. I don't quite know if it's love or not, but… _Was his response.

_Okay, I'll tell her. We just found each other on the site._

Percy went cold. Annabeth couldn't know. She'd get the wrong idea.

_Don't tell her. Don't breathe a word of it._ He quickly texted.

_Oops._

"Shit." He said to himself. A message from Annabeth didn't take very long to receive.

_This is a new kind of low Percy! Are you fucking kidding me?!_ He barely had time to read the message before his phone rang, with a call from Annabeth. He hesitantly hit answer.

"Really. REALLY?!" She exploded into his ear. "I can't believe you Percy!" He tried to cut her off.

"I don't love her. It came out wrong, I didn't mean for it to sound like-" he began.

"Bullshit. You were fucking typing Percy! And generally, when you tell a girl you love her, you fucking love her! You don't even know how pissed I am!"

Annabeth could feel sobs begin to rack her body. How _dare_ he go behind her back? She had put her love and trust in him, and he threw it around like it was nothing! She was aware of his voice talking in her ear. She tuned in for a moment.

"-what I meant for it to come out as was that she didn't have to be alone, that I was there, and I could help her with her problems, and-" He said. He didn't have the chance to finish.

"Just shut up Percy. I thought you were different. I trusted you." She didn't add that she hated him. That wasn't the truth. She still loved him with all her heart, even though she knew she should be cursing him to the pits of hell. But she still loved him. She gave one last huff, and before her tears overtook her, she hung up.

Percy heard the click. Everything began to fall, because of three meaningless words that he didn't mean to say.

"No. No. No, no, nonononono…"

He called back several times, only to be met with spite from his true love. He began to panic. He would clear things up tomorrow at school. He just had to think positive.

This was Monday.

* * *

Percy cranked his music up louder. His bus was thirty minutes late. He sighed as he recalled the events of the previous night. He winced. Percy finally got his phone out and called his mother for a ride.

His first period class seemed to slog on forever. The bell finally rang, and he rushed to meet Annabeth in the regular place. He saw her, with her black hoodie on, walking dejectedly. He opened his arms and she shook her head. Percy's heart fell and shattered. You could almost hear the pieces as they clinked around at the bottom of his chest. They walked in silence. Percy gently put his arm around him. She hissed in pain. Percy looked at her, and slowly rolled up her left sleeve. He gasped at the sight. Her arm was marred with cuts, big and small. Some had bled, some had not. Percy held back tears.

_I did this._ He said. _It was my fault._

"Go to class…" Annabeth said emotionlessly.

"Heh… feels like my heart has been ripped out of my chest… and I suppose it has…" He said. Percy ran into the woods, the one place he could be alone and free. He got moderately deep into the forest when everything at once rushed back to him.

"AAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!" He cried out. It was amazing, how your entire life could go from great to shit in a matter of days. He didn't mean what he had said to Reyna. Things had just come out wrong. He wondered if he'd get out of this alive.

"Guess I'll have to find out..." He muttered. His chest throbbed, as if it was longing for his heart, broken by the cruelties of love.


	2. Scars

_"Women may fall when there's no strength in men." –William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet_

* * *

Percy was sitting at his computer, playing a game when his phone rang. He tapped the escape key to pause it, and unlocked his phone. He saw it was from Annabeth. They had been talking off and on for the past few days, Percy begging his goddess for forgiveness, and Annabeth, who wasn't having any of it. He tapped open on his phone screen.

_Hey. Could you possibly come to my band thing tonight?_ It read. Percy sighed a little. He usually wasn't about physical pain. Percy's favored form of self-torture was his emotional/mental state. The more he saw of Annabeth, the more it reminded him of how badly he messed up, the more pain it caused him inside. Depressing music helped too. He sighed once more, and typed out an answer.

_I suppose I can try to make it. When does it start, and when does it end?_ Percy sent.

_We go on at 7:30, and it ends at 8:45._ He read.

_I suppose I can come to that._ Went his response. _See you there._ He added as a follow-up. He waited, but didn't get a response. Percy checked his watch, then un-paused his game. He had some time to kill.

* * *

Percy hopped out of the car, thanked his mom for the ride, and walked towards the football stadium. Annabeth was in the color guard section of the marching band. The color guard's job was to dance, and do fancy choreographed routines with flags, and other straight objects. It was a very appeasing thing to watch. Percy leaned against the fence, looking for Annabeth. He longed to think that he was 'looking for his girl', but he could no longer think that way. He caught sight of her talking to some of the other members. An announcer's voice suddenly rang through the stadium.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Goode high school marching band, playing songs from 1001 Arabian Nights!" All the parents applauded as the marching band began their routine.

The songs were easily recognizable, but Percy only half-listened. He was too busy trying to keep his mouth shut as he watched Annabeth dance and twirl. The entire color guard was dressed up in the same red, Arabian outfits, but Annabeth easily looked the prettiest. He never once took his eyes off her as the band played on. All at once, the band finished, and everyone applauded. Even Percy did. He recognized good when he saw (and in this case, heard) it. The band began to exit the field in their orderly fashion. He ran around to meet them. Annabeth was putting her flags away. He slowly walked up to her.

"Hey," he said. "You guys did great out there." He said. She smiled a little.

"Thanks." Percy looked at his watch. It was about 8:00.

"Hey, I thought you said this ended at 8:45." He said. She shrugged.

"I thought so too. You can just catch a ride with me if you want." Percy nodded.

"Sure, that sounds alright." He said. She smiled again.

"Cool. I'm going to go get changed." Annabeth said. Percy nodded, and sat down on a nearby bench.

After Annabeth got changed, the pair (not quite couple anymore, who could tell if that's what they would be ever again?) walked out to the parking lot. Her mother was there already, waiting for them. They jumped in the car, and Athena Chase began the usual parental tirade, how did you do, that girl looks trashy, blah blah blah… Percy just stared out the window. After a few minutes, Athena announced that they would be stopping at a Walmart to pick up a few things for Annabeth's school-required drama project. They entered the store, and Percy and Annabeth split off to go find the supplies; bells, and party poppers.

"C'mon, they'll probably be in the crafts or party section," Annabeth said. Percy followed her. The two walked in silence, until out of nowhere, Annabeth threw her arms around Percy's neck, and kissed him hard on the mouth.

Percy almost lost his balance, but he managed to carefully place his hands on her hips. They stayed that way, for what seemed to be eternity, when they both pulled away at the same time, slightly gasping for breath.

"Well," Percy said. "That was unexpected." Annabeth laughed and Percy put his arm around her.

* * *

The search for the bells soon became half-hearted as the two began stealing kisses in between 'looking' for their items. Eventually, after ten minutes of searching, they could not find the bells, and left the store. Athena was waiting for them in the car. The two lovers got in the car, and began to drive to Percy's house. They secretly kissed a few more times in the car, not being able to get enough of each other. The trio pulled up on Percy's driveway after about fifteen minutes, and they walked up to his door.

"So, I guess we're good now?" Percy asked. Annabeth thought for a moment.

"I'm not going to pretend that I didn't cry, or feel hurt about this…" She said softly. Percy lifted her head so that he could look her in the eyes.

"I admit that I made a huge mistake. It was never my intention to hurt you. It's the last thing I'd ever want. Nothing like that will ever happen again, and I'll do whatever is necessary to gain your trust again." Percy said. Annabeth smiled, and they kissed again.

"See you tomorrow Seaweed Brain." She laughed, and then she was gone. Percy watched her go, hating it, but loving her more than ever. He thought he was forgiven.

He was wrong.

This was Wednesday.

* * *

Percy and Annabeth met each other after every class. Annabeth would _insist_ on walking him to class, and despite Percy's protests, she would still do it. They walked to class, kissed goodbye, and Percy would think about her all day, and how happy he would be next time he saw her beautiful face. Everything was back on track, crisis averted, Houston, we no longer have a problem. That's what he thought.

Reality was colder.

The last bell of the day rang, and Percy was waiting for his true love by the stairs. He brightened when he saw her, then fear overtook him. Annabeth was depressed. He could read it all over her face. He ran up to her and put what he thought was a comforting arm around her.

"What's wrong Wise Girl?" He asked. She looked at him.

_"Women may fall when there's no strength in men,"_ She said. Percy didn't like the sound of that.

"Annabeth, I don't get what that me-" He began.

"The quote is from Romeo and Juliet. The quote is saying that the man cannot be upset if the woman strays or loses interest in him, if she can't trust the man to be faithful," She stated oh-so eloquently.

Percy felt his heart lurch.

"Baby, I'm sorry. By now, I'm a broken record. You know that I love you, and I know I made a mistake. I can't ever do anything that would make you forgive me." Percy said as they approached the buses. Annabeth said nothing. They were in front of Percy's bus.

"I love you." Percy said to her. Annabeth looked down.

"I'm sure…" She said, and walked away. Percy watched her walk away again, only this time, he didn't feel nearly as happy. His scars tingled, and he thought,

_What are we… after all we've been through… what are we?_


End file.
